Sangrur, April 8A deputation of the Kirti Mazdoor Union, Punjab, led by Mr Hari Ram,state secretary of the union, submitted a representation toAdditional Deputy Commissioner N.S. Walia here, demanding `due share'from the shamlat (common land) of Cheema village in Barnala tehsilfor Dalits and ban on the construction of a place of worship on theshamlat for being used by the Dalits the past several years.

Mr Iqbal Singh, district president of the union, alleged that withouttaking the Dalits into confidence, the Panchayat of Cheema villagehad given the shamlat, to a community for a gaushala where areligious place was now being built.

The union also wanted the administration to give possession to theDalits of over 100 residential plots earmarked for them in thevillage two decades ago.

Mr N.S. Walia, ADC, Sangrur, said he had forwarded the representationof the union to the Barnala SDM for an inquiry into the matter and toresolve the issue.

Jalandhar, April 8The All-India Confederation of Scheduled Castes, Backward Classes andScheduled Tribes Organisations, Punjab, will organise a march heretomorrow to protest against the failure of the state government toimplement its accepted demands.

In a press note issued here today, the press secretary of theconfederation, Mr Harbinder Pal, said the state government waspursuing anti-Dalit policies.

He said the withdrawal of facility of free treatment at governmenthospitals and dispensaries and shagun scheme and the hike in fees atschool and college level were examples wherein the state governmenthad hit the Dalit community hard.

For over a year, Dalit families in Dhar Kalana village near Simlahave been treated as outcasts by the upper caste Rajputs because theyvoted against the Rajput candidate in the Himachal Assembly elections.

With elections round the corner, these Dalits say that free and fairpolls hold little meaning for them as they fear reprisal if theydon't do as dictated by the upper caste community.

Free ballot?

One such victim, Sarita, and others in her community had paid heavilyfor casting their vote in favour of a candidate of their choice inthe assembly polls last year.

They were beaten up, and water supply to their homes and fieldsstopped. They are now not even allowed to walk on the village pathsjust because they had voted against the wishes of the dominant Rajputcommunity.

"Three of our crops have gone waste That is our main source oflivelihood. They have uprooted our irrigation pipes. We are incurringhuge losses. They had stopped the supply of our drinking water also,"lamented Sarita Devi.

No reprieve

The authorities have been of little help to them.

"We went to the government but there is no justice. The governmentofficials have refused to listen to us," said another villager, DhaniRam.

It has been over a year since the assembly elections, but thesevillagers say that the police have not caught any of the culprits whobeat them up.

Officials say that they have ordered an enquiry to find out theguilty party.

The most sensitive polling station is Dhar Kalana and we will try toensure that there is no such incident," said S K B S Negi, DeputyCommissioner, Shimla.

The Dalits now fear that unless they caste their vote in these LokSabha elections as dictated by the Rajputs, they will be ostracisedfurther.

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